Governors from Nigeria’s 36 states, under the Nigerian Governors Forum (NGF), are set to convene next week to deliberate on the Supreme Court’s recent decision to grant autonomy to local government councils.
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Following a meeting with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, AbdulRazaq AbdulRahman, the Chairman of the NGF and Governor of Kwara State, addressed the press, expressing relief over the judgment.
He highlighted that governors, who previously had to use state resources to support local governments, now feel unburdened by the ruling.
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Governor AbdulRahman stated, “we welcome the Supreme Court ruling. Our Attorney Generals have applied for the enrollment order, which we will study carefully. Overall, governors are pleased with the devolution of power regarding local government autonomy. It eases the financial burden on states, a fact often overlooked by the public.”
He further noted that the NGF would convene next Wednesday to thoroughly review the judgment and formulate a collective response.
“We haven’t seen the enrollment of the court order yet, so we don’t fully understand its implications,” he added.
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Regarding the impact on Kwara State, AbdulRahman assured that the judgment would not negatively affect it, as the state has not interfered with local government funds.
“We’ve never tampered with local government funds, so operations will continue as usual. Local governments must manage their resources effectively, especially with the upcoming minimum wage, ensuring salaries are paid and traditional rulers receive their 5% share,” he explained.
Flanked by Imo State Governor Hope Uzodimma and Bauchi State Governor Bala Mohammed, AbdulRahman also mentioned that their visit to the Presidential Villa included discussions on various national issues, including the minimum wage and the Supreme Court ruling.
“We’ve addressed multiple topics with the President, from the minimum wage negotiations with labor unions to other pressing national matters,” he concluded.
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The NGF’s upcoming meeting is anticipated to provide more clarity on the next steps following the Supreme Court’s landmark decision.
